PS 1124 
•B24 V5 
1893 
Copy 1 



VIGILANCE 



A POEM. 



BORN; FIRST WRITTEN! 

7N THE YEAR iSga, THE 406 f II ANNIVERSARY 

OF AMERICA'S DISCOVER Y. 



COPYRIGHT 

1893. 
By LI Brosemkr. 



VIGILANCE. 



A POEM. 



^ 




BORN; FIRST WRITTEN! 
TN THE YEAR i8gs, THE 4.00 TN ANNIVERSARY 

OF AMERICA'S DISCOVERY. 




COPYRIGHT 

1893. 
By L Brosemer. 



/ 












//'rtfl 








Y heart throbs with feeling, 
Mind wanders into space, 
And looks for some revealing 
That yet may bring solace. 



Columbia's light seems growing dim 
By wild sea-winds her lamp is tossed, 

Let's hasten on its wick to trim, 
Not stop ere it be done to count the cost. 



With tear-dimmed eyes I look around, 
Our craft, the Union's, ®KBe&*due 

But list, a rush, some sound, 

A light ! it becks to me and you. 



Ah, ha, our Ship of State T sight, 
Her flag is given to the breeze, 

She's freighted, and that not light, 
Majestically she braves the seas. 



But look, upon her deck, 

"What is it there ? from out her hold, 
Oh ! 'tis but a darkened speck ; 

]STo, no, its movements I behold 



Nearer, nearer, on she speeds, 

Our banner to the top-mast hung ; 

I see not plain, but think she needs 
More men and bigger gun. 



And now I take the glass 

To scrutinize her form, 
But studying that strange mass, 

I drop it, with feeling quite forlorn 



Her crew's not all our own, 
The halyards to are broken, 

Its very form I'm prompted to disown, 
To me the sight is no good token. 



Say, brother, listen now to me, 
That mass of blackness I perceive 

Tells me that all is not as it should be, 
And of it, someone must her relieve. 



The boat to us does yet belong, 

But Bigotry's power will cause its loss, 

Why the Eagle at her prow's gone, 
And in its stead what is't a Cross. 



In peril she is, do you not see ? 

Be quick, the mist is getting dense, 
And out do put undaunted by rough sea 

Her safety, a glorious recompense 



Jest if you will at my alarm, 
And think it sheer imagination, 

But by the Stars and Stripes I warn, 

From mind that's stored with observation 



^V. : --v- S " ■■'.''. " : ' . ■•■■ ■ 



Out of that Fond 

wherein thou pattest, take not more 

than is thy share. 






LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




